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The table-topping Penrith Panthers under-20s continued their stellar early season form in the National Youth Competiton at Suncorp Stadium tonight, trouncing the young Brisbane Broncos 44-12.

Despite trailing 24-12 at the halftime break, the Broncos took the field in the second stanza with the wind in their sails after bouncing back from a horror start.

But the Panthers hit the ground running with back-to-back tries in the opening 10 minutes of the half to Caleb Aekins and Vondel Williams-Liolevave restoring an unassailable 24-point lead.

Billy Burns ran a brilliant line to sore his second try in the 67th minute and Dean Blore missed his first conversion of the evening to ensure the Penrith lead remained 40-12.

Panthers’ No.7 Jarome Luai dropped the ball cold over the line, but soon made up for the embarrassing blunder with a classy solo try in the final stages.

It was one-way traffic as the Broncos struggled to get out of their own end and rarely threatened the visitors’ line in a disappointing defensive performance, conceding 20 unanswered points in the second half.

The match kicked off with the visitors landing a double-blow early, shooting out to an 12-0 lead inside eight minutes through tries to winger Daniel Brown and back-rower Reed Izzard.

Penrith stretched the Broncos’ defence and ripped them to shreds, the 12-point advantage quickly became 18 when Samuel Martin-Savage strolled over on the left edge.

The red-hot Panthers split the Brisbane defence again with Wayde Egan probing out of dummy half, catching a number of tired forwards flat-footed in the middle.

The Penrith hooker found Billy Burns trailing in support, who raced away to score under the posts and extend the margin to 24-0 after 19 minutes.

With a bit of luck Brisbane hit back through David Fauid who pounced on an attacking kick that took a deflection off the legs of a defender.

Gerome Burns scored four minutes later courtesy of a break by the lightening-fast Kotoni Staggs down the left wing.

Burns converted his own try in the 29th minute to get Brisbane back within 12 points.

The Broncos came close to scoring their third try in the space of 11 minutes when Brayden Dee stretched out close to the line but was shut down by some good scrambling defence.

Brisbane had all the momentum and peppered the Panthers’ line with a number of promising attacking raids in the final minutes of the first half.

The Panthers’ goal line defence held solid to keep a 24-12 lead at the halftime break.

It was a dominant display from the Penrith Panthers who flexed their premiership credentials, remaining unbeaten since round one as they strive for a third Grand Final appearance in as many years.